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Saturday, October 15, 2011

Modern Mix Blog Tour

I told y'all it was book week here on the blog. What can I say? There are just a ton of really fabulous books all coming out in the coming weeks and months ... which is actually a really great thing, since it's almost time to start working on our Christmas lists!

So what's Modern Mix all about? The book contains 7 quilt patterns along with other project ideas for other home decor items (like pillows), bags, fashion accessories, and other gift ideas -- 16 in total -- all with a single focus: mixing and matching prints with solids to discover new and innovative design possibilities.

The projects in Modern Mix are broken out into four distinct sections, based upon how the patterns incorporate solid fabrics:

Back Me Up -- projects that use solid fabrics as a background for your favorite prints

Accentuate the Positive -- projects that introduce little bits of solid colors to bring out the best in pattern

Steal the Show -- patterns that feature solids as the focus of the project

I've spoken with many quilters who are hesitant to mix and match fabrics across collections and selecting solid tones to help bring their projects to life. Large scale prints in particular seem to pose the biggest challenge. Within Modern Mix, in addition to a wealth of fresh, contemporary sewing patterns (and beautiful photography to match), Jessica offers her readers several design tips for pairing solids with large-scale prints.

Want to get to know Jessica a bit better? I've asked her a few (very random and silly) questions for your enjoyment!

Wow, what a trip down memory lane. I'll answer it straight up and go with Thriller, but it may have something to do with Halloween coming up. However, this list inspired the "2 truths and a lie" below.

This would make me very VERY unhappy. I'm not against All-stars, I've owned a pair, and love them on my kids....but one pair of shoes for a whole year?!?! I think only a man could write that question. :)

But to play along, I'd say these leather boot-like ones fit my style the most. I'm going for the most versatile here and I could see wearing these even when more dressed up. But they would cause a problem in the summer. Guess I'd just have to go barefoot...

Q: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring 3 DVD's, which would they be?

The Princess Bride

Beauty and the Beast

French Kiss

OK, so let's talk a bit about the giveaway. Stash Books will send a copy of Modern Mix to one lucky Quilt Dad reader, to be selected randomly from those who leave a comment on this post. And to sweeten the pot, I'm throwing in a full fat quarter bundle of Jessica's newest fabric line, Kingdom.

I love this line. In fact, I made a full quilt from Kingdom for Jessica to help her showcase the line at Spring Quilt Market in Salt Lake City back in May. I designed this pattern specifically for Kingdom, and I named it Kingdom Courtyards. I was thrilled and honored to see my quilt hanging in the Windham booth!

Here I am wrestling to get some good photos of the quilt on a particularly windy day here in North Carolina. Thanks to Mrs. Quilt Dad for patiently bearing with me as I tried to get the "perfect shot"!

So want to win your very own copy of Modern Mix PLUS a full fat quarter bundle of Kingdom? Simply leave a comment on this post and answer the following question:

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: two of the following statements from Jessica based on the Billboard Top 100 Songs of 1984 are true, and one is a big fat stinky lie. Let me know which one you think is the untruth in the comments below, and you could win!

"Self Control" - by Laura Branigan (#24) -- The first concert I ever went was Laura Branigan, and when I got home I sketched the different outfits she changed into.

"The Wild Boys" - by Duran Duran (#25) --Duran Duran was my favorite boy band, and my dad finally took me to see them after I proved my love by naming and spelling correctly all the members' names.

"Legs" - by ZZ Top (#65) --I dressed as the lead singer to ZZ Top (beard and all) for Halloween in 5th grade

Here's the full blog tour schedule -- many of the posts still have their giveaways open, so visit them all for more chances to win!

Hmmmm, I think the lie is Duran Duran (#2), but that is just a guess. I can't believe there top three movies! I overlap on two of them (French Kiss and The Princess Bride!). Wowee! Maybe I'll be the lucky ducky winner?!

Huh. I'd guess 3 is the lie, but who knows!? Have we seen the Kingdom Courtyards quilt on the blog before? I don't remember it, and it's so gorgeous I feel like I'd remember seeing it before. I love the art nouveau feel of that line! akmajor (at) gmail (dot) com

You always ask such great intervierw questions John. It's nice to see unique questions to help us get to know the person you are interviewing. I love Jessica's line Kingdom and your pattern Kingdom Courtyards is super. I'd love, love to win this giveaway.(as I wipe drool from my mouth, hehe)I think it's the second picture of Kingdom Courtyards (pictured above) that looks like it's floating!. A magical quilt perhaps? I think #2 is the fib. I'm probably putting too much thought into it, but figuring Jessica is around your age then she'd be about nine years old in 1984 and...well I think it's a fib.

Thank you, Stash Books and Jessica for the giveaways and the chance to win.

I really think number 2 has to be the lie. Really, naming all the members, and then your Dad takes you? I know what my Dad would have done...What a wonderful give away, thanks so much for the chance...

#2 is the lie, I think. Everyone I know has dressed as zz top at some time or other, and the first one seems too wierd to make up! This looks like a very nice book; thanks for the chance to win it and the fabric too.

I am going with #2 but don't know why. However, no matter what, I really think I am going to have to buy this book even though I am not normally a modern or contemporary quilter. However, I love everything I see in this book. Hmmm, maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks .... or at least get them to expand their horizons.

Oh! I'm in love with this book! I'm entering as many of these giveaways as I can before I order my copy! And I think No 2 is a lie (keeping my fingers crossed. Thanks for the opportunity, John!Cheers from India